Resting Heart Rate (RHR) is the number of times the heart beats per minute while at rest. It serves as an excellent long-term indicator of how well the body has recovered from training and is also a sign of aerobic fitness and cardiovascular efficiency. For instance, athletes typically have a RHR between 40–60 beats per minute (BPM), as regular exercise promotes a lower RHR. However, it’s important to recognize that factors such as illness, stress, or overtraining can cause an increase in resting heart rate
To better understand this metric, let’s review two weeks of my RHR data. Prior to the 30th of Saturday, my RHR hovered around 40–41 BPM. However, as I continued training, my RHR steadily rose to 43–44 BPM during the fourth week of the training block, signaling signs of long-term fatigue. In response, I decided to make Sunday a rest day. It clearly worked.
Fitness trackers measure RHR during sleep, making the data easy to observe. If you don’t have a device and wish to track your RHR manually, we recommend recording it immediately after waking. To do this, set a timer for 60 seconds, place a finger over your carotid artery, and count the beats.
